Liquorgate: Court to pass order on ED chargesheet filed against Arun Pillai, Amandeep Dhal on May 1
Apr 28, 2023
New Delhi [India], April 28 : The Rouse Avenue Court on Friday fixed May 1 for passing an order on cognizance of the chargesheet filed against Arun Pillai, Amandeep Dhal a firm called Brindco Sales Pvt Ltd in connection with a Money laundering case related to irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy.
ED filed a supplementary chargesheet (Prosecution Complaint) against Amandeep Singh Dhal and Arun Ramchandra Pillai on Thursday and later on Friday added one accused which is a firm called Brindco Sales Pvt Ltd.
The Special Judge MK Nagpal on Friday was informed by the ED counsel NK Matta, "We have filed this supplementary prosecution complaint against two individuals namely Arun Ramchandra Pillai and Amandeep Dhal and a firm named Brindco Spirits is also mentioned as an accused in this prosecution complaint".
After taking note of the ED submission, the court fixed May 1, for passing of order on cognizance point in the matter.
Court noted that this complaint is accompanied by a list of relied-upon documents and a list of witnesses, besides some annexures and these lists are stated to be in addition to the list which has been filed with the previous complaint.
"We have also attached some of the assets/properties of Arun Ramchandra Pillai", ED informed the court.
Both the said accused are presently in Judicial custody in the case, also noted the Court.
This is the third supplementary chargesheet (Prosecution Complaint) in connection with a Money laundering case related to irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy.
In the ED case, Businessman Amandeep Singh Dhal was arrested on March 1 and Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai was arrested on March 6, 2023.
According to the ED, Aman Singh Dhall a Delhi-based businessman has conspired with other persons and is actively involved in the formation of policy and facilitating kickbacks to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its recoupment by the South Group through various means.
Arun Ramchandra Pillai a Hydrabad-based Businessman was arrested by ED for alligations that he collected bribes from another accused, Sameer Mahendru, managing director of Indospirit and handed it over to the other accused.
The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval. The beneficiaries diverted 'illegal' gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection.
An alleged, the Excise Department had decided to refund the Earnest Money Deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules. Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fees was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to COVID-19.
This allegedly caused a loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer, which has been instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry following a recommendation from Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
